Mining machine



May 2, 1933.

T. E. PRAY MINING MACHINE Filed June 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Woman? pry May 2, 1933. PRAY 1,906,810

MINING MACHINE Filed June 6, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 2, 1933 PAINT OFICE.

- THOMAS E. EBAY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GOODMAN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS MINING MACHINE Application filed June 6, 1930. Serial No. 459,458.

This invention relates to improvements in mining machines and has for its principal object to provide a means for removing the cuttings from the path of the cutter chain in a mining machine of the truck mounted type adapted to cut an arcuate kerf at or near the mine bottom.

When a mining machine of the type above mentioned is cutting an areuate kerf in the mine wall, the cuttings discharged by the cut ter bar accumulate in large quantities at the rearward end of the cutter bar especially when cutting across the front of the truck due to the fact that the cutter bar is usually fed across the front of the truck by means of a turntable and movement of the rearward portion of the cutter bar is relatively small in proportion to the widthof kerf cut. In order for the machine to eliiciently cut and not pull the cuttings back into the kerf, it is necessary to remove these cuttings from the path of the cutter chain. This may be done by hand but is a dangerous and efficient meth- 0d of removing said cuttings due to the prox imity of the man removing the cuttings to the rapidly moving cutter chain. The device of my invention provides a new and improved means for expedient-1y removing the cuttings from the rearward portion of the cutter bar to allow the cutter chain to move in a free path and to prevent the cutter chain from dragging the cuttings back into the kerf.

My invention may be more clearly understood with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device embodying my invention attached to a mining machine of the truck mounted type adapted to cut an arcuate kerf along the mine bottom;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the device shown in Figure 1 Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1: and

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side elevation of the device shown in Figure 1 with parts broken away and in section.

In the embodiment of my invention as illustrated my invention is shown as applied to a mining machine 1 of the slabbing type which is adapted to cut a kerf in the mine wall at the mine bottom or at various elevations with respect thereto. The mining machine herein illustrated is of the usual track mounted bottom cutting type adapted to cut a kerf in the mine wall in front of and to each side of the track beneath the level of the track in a manner well known to those skilled in the art so will not herein be shown or described in detail excepting as to the parts which particularly pertain to my invention.

The mining machine 1 is only partially shown in the drawings and includes a wheeled truck 1a having a turntable 2 thereon, which turntable in turn has a cutting element 3 supported thereon for movement therewith. The cutting element 3 extends forwardly of the wheeled truck 1a and has a cutter head 2a depending therefrom which is vertically adjustable with respect thereto in suitable guides in a usual manner. The cutter head 2a is supported for pivotal movement with respect to the cutting element 3 and has a cutter bar 3a supported thereon and extending forwardly therefrom, which cutter bar is provided with a cutter chain 4 which is driven thereabout in a usual manner.

As is usual with track mounted bottom cutting machines of the class disclosed, the feeding operation is performed by movement of the truck on the track or pivotal movementof the turntable and the purpose in supporting the cutter bar for pivotal movement about a vertical axis spaced from the axis of rotation of the turntable isto permit adjustment of the. cutter bar for cutting in narrow working places. I

The cutter bar 8a and cutter head 2a are turned about the axis of pivotal connection of said cutter head to the cutting element 8 manually or by positioning the end of the cutter bar 8a against a fixed point and turning the turntable 2, and may be locked in various desired angular positions with respect to the cutting element 3 in a usual manner (not shown), it being understood that the cutter head 2a is always locked in a fixed position with respect to the cutting element 3 during the cutting operation.

Referring now in particular to the novel features of my invention, a portable conveying mechanism 5 is provided, which conveying mechanism is adapted to be connected with the cutter head 2a of the mining machine 1 and includes a conveyor generally indicated at 6.

The portable conveying mechanism 5 comprises a frame 7 supported on wheels 9 near its rearward end and supported so as to slide on the mine bottom on its forward end adj acent the cutter head 2a and rearward portion of the cutter bar 3a.

The wheels 9 are supported on bearing members 8 eccentrically mounted on a transverse shaft 31 for pivotal movement therewith. A lever 32 is fixed to one eccentric bearingmember 8 so that movement of said lever rotates the shaft 31 and the eccentric bearing members 8, 8 and raises or lowers the i conveyor frame 7 with respect to the mine bottom, to allow the forward portion of said conveyor frame to rest on the mine bottom during the cutting operation, or raise the forward portion of said conveyor frame above the mine bottom when it is desired to move the conveying mechanism about the mine. Stops 26 and 28 are provided on opposite sides of one eccentric bearing member 8 to engage the lever 32 and hold the frame 7 in an elevated or lowered position.

Means are provided to detachably connect the conveyor frame 7 to the mining maclnne 1 and cutter head 2a, which means herein comprise tongues 10 projecting forwardly 7 from the conveyor frame 7 on each slde thereof. The tongues 10 each have a clevis 11 formed at their forward end. A portion of the cutter head 2a on the retreating side U thereof near the rearward end of the cutter bar 3a is received in the clevises 11 and is connected thereto by means of pins 12 so the conveyor frame 7 may bemoved upon movement of said cutter head.

The arrangement is such that either one or both of the pins 12 may be employed to attach the conveyor frame 7 to the cutter head 2a. In cutting a kerf across the front of the track in a mine entry or room, it may be seen that it is preferable to use only one of the pins 12 to connect the conveyor frame 7 to the cutter head 2a, which pin is preferably the pin adjacent the rearward end of said outter head to permit pivotal movement of said conveyor frame with respect to said cutter head to compensate for arcuate movement of said cutter head as it is being moved across the face of the coal. In cutting along long faces parallel to the track it is obvious that both pins 12 are used to connect the conveyor frame 7 to the cutter head 2a, to hold said conveyor frame and the conveyor 6 in a position substantially parallel to the track.

Power actuating means are provided on the conveyor frame 7 for driving the conveyor 6. Said power actuating means may be of any type well known to the art, but is herein preferably shown as being an electric motor 13 fixed to the conveyor frame 7 and having a motor shaft 14 extending longitudinally of said conveyor frame. The motor shaft 14 has driving connection with ashaft 15 through a flexible coupling generally indicated at 16. The shaft 15 is ournaled in a housing 17 fixed to the conveyor frame 7. A worm 18 is cut integral with the shaft 15 and meshes with and drives a worm gear 19 on a transverse shaft 20, which shaft has a sprocket 22 fixed to its outer end and is ournaled in the housing 17, which housing encloses both the worm 18 and worm gear 19.

An inclined portion 23 of the conveyor frame 7 projects rearwardly from said conveyor frame and has a transverse shaft 24 journaled near its outer end. The shaft 24- is journaled in suitable take-up bearings to permit tightening of the conveyor when desired, which bearings are generally indicated at 25. A sprocket 27 is fixed to the transverse shaft 24 and is operatively connected with the sprocket 22 by means of a drive chain 29 so that said shaft may be driven from the motor 13.

Sprockets 30, 30 are fixed to the transverse shaft 24 near opposite ends thereof inside of the take-up bearings 25. Idler sprockets 33, 33 are freely mounted on the shaft 31 near opposite ends thereof in alignment with the sprockets 27. Sprockets 34, 34 are mounted on a transverse shaft 35 near the forward end of the conveyor frame 7 in alignment with the sprockets 33, 33 so as to extend forwardly beyond said conveyor frame. Continuous drive chains 36 of a usual construction are threaded around the sprockets 30 and 34 and under the sprockets 33. Flights 40 extend between the drive chains 36 and have their opposite ends fixed to said drive chains. The flights 40 are spaced at regular intervals around the drive chains 36 to form the conveyor 6 and to form a means to move loose material away from the cutter bar 3n and cutter chain 4. A handle 41 projects rearwardly from the inclined portion 23 of the conveyor frame 7 so that a man may control the movement of the conveying mechanism 5 with the cutter head 2a when the cutter bar 3a and cutter chain 4 is cutting a kerf in the mine wall and to enable the mechanism to be moved when disconnected from the mining machine.

It may now be seen that the motor 13 on the conveyor frame 7 is operatively connected to the drive chains 36 to drive said chains and that movement of said chains tends to move material away from the cutter bar 30, and cutter chain 4. The drive chains 36 are adapted to move downwardly on the inclined portion 23 of the conveyor frame 7 toward the cutter head 2a and then move around the sprockets 34 away from the cutter bar 3a and cutter chain 4 to move the cuttings along the ground away from said cutter bar and cutter chain.

It may also be seen that a means has been provided which is detachably connectible to the retreating side of a. truck mounted mining machine of the slabbing type near the rearward end of the cutter bar, which means follows the cutter bar as a kerf is being cut in the mine wall and conveys the cuttings discharged from the cutter chain away from said cutter bar, and that this means is of a simplified construction which may readily be controlled by one man or which is self-controlled where conditions are. favorable.

Although I have herein shown and described one form in which my invention may be embodied, it will be understood that the construction thereof and the arrangement of the various parts may be altered without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. Furthermore, I do not wish to be construed as limiting myself to the specific embodiment illustrated in the drawings, excepting as it may be limited by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a mining machine having a depending cutter head, a cutter bar projecting forwardly from said depending cutter head having a cutter chain movable thereabout adapted to cut an arcuate kerf adjacent the mine floor, and means for clearing the cuttings from the path of said cutter chain comprising an endless cuttings conveying mechanism detachably connectible with the retreating side of said mining machine adjacent the rearward end of said outter bar.

2. In combination with a mining machine having a depending cutter head, a cutter bar projecting forwardly from said depending cutter head having a cutter chain movable thereabout adapted to cut an arcuate kerf adjacent the mine floor, and means for clearing the cuttings from the path of said cutter chain comprising a wheeled endless chain conveying mechanism detachably connectible with the retreating side of said mining machine adjacent the rearward end of said cutter bar, and movable with said cutter bar.

3. In combination with a mining machine having a depending cutter head, a cutter bar projecting forwardly from said depending cutter head having a cutter chain movable thereabout adapted to cut an arcuate kerf adjacent the mine floor, and means for clearing the cuttings from the path of said cutter chain comprising a wheeled conveying mechanism detachably connectible with the retreating side of said mining machine adjacent the rearward end of said cutter bar, and movable with said cutter bar, said conveying mechanism including a plurality of sprockets adjacent the retreating side of said cutter head and aconveyor passing over and under said sprockets adjacent the mine bottom to move material discharged from said cutter chain along the mine bottom away from said cutter chain.

4. In combination with a mining machine having a depending cutter head, a cutter bar projecting forwardly from said depending cutter head having a cutter chain movable thereabout adapted to cut an arcuate kerf adjacent the mine floor, and means for moving the cuttings away from said cutter chain comprising a wheeled endless chain conveyor detachably connectible with said depending cutter head adjacent the retreating side of said cutter bar and movable with said cutter head and disposed perpendicular to the path of said cutter bar.

5. In combination with a mining machine having a depending cutter head, a cutter bar projecting forwardly from said depending cutter head having a cutter chain movable therea-bout adapted to cut an arcuate kerf adjacent the mine floor, a wheeled conveyor frame detachably connectible with said depending cutter head near the rearward end of said cutter chain, a sprocket on the forward end of said wheeled conveyor frame adjacent the path of said cutter chain, and a conveyor chain having flights thereon threaded over and under said sprocket to move the cuttings discharged from said cutter chain along the mine bottom away from said cutter chain.

6. In combination with a mining machine having a depending cutter head, a cutter bar projecting forwardly from said depending cutter head having a cutter chain movable thereabout adapted to cut an arcuate kerf adjacent the mine floor, a conveyor frame having a horizontal forward portion and an inclined portion rearwardly thereof, means for detachably connecting the forward portion of said horizontal portion of said conveyor frame with said cutter head, a pair of wheels for supporting the rearward portion of said horizontal portion of said conveyor frame, conveyor guiding means adjacent the forward horizontal portion of said conveyor frame, conveyor guiding means adjacent the rearward portion of said horizontal portion of said conveyor frame, and a conveyor passing over and under said first mentioned conveyor guiding means and under said second mentioned conveyor guiding means to move loose material discharged from said cutter bar away from said cutter bar along the mine bottom.

Signed at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, this 2nd day of June,

THOMAS E. PRAY. 

